Mechanical and Aerospace Engineers work on a broad diversity of biological topics that span many length-scales, some studying the mechanics of the human body and others studying the mechanics of single molecules. In between these two extremes, many researchers are interested in how individual living cells sense and respond to their mechanical environments, including other cells in large populations. To program how cells interact with their surroundings and each other, controls engineers utilize modern genetic and molecular biology tools. Much of this research requires new tools and approaches, so biofabrication techniques like 3D bioprinting are being developed, enabling models of living human tissue to be manufactured and tested. Because living systems are so complex, much of our research serves to create new fundamental understanding of transport and mechanics in biological systems. The MAEBio group comprises this diversity of research areas, highlighted by the list of thrust areas, below.

Areas of Excellence

Facilities

Leveraging a $300 million public-private collaboration, the University of Florida is revolutionizing its campus core by establishing a hub for biotechnology research and education. The newly constructed Herbert Wertheim Laboratory for Engineering Excellence serves as the flagship facility, boasting an expansive 84,000-square-foot, cutting-edge biotechnology laboratory and educational space. MAEBio faculty benefits from shared laboratory areas within this innovative building. The state-of-the-art MAEBio faculty labs provide access to collaborative research spaces, such as multiple cell culture rooms, and an impressive array of advanced analytical instruments. Some examples of these instruments include a Bruker BioAFM atomic force microscope, a BD FACSMelody Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting system, a Cytek Northern Lights cytometer, Zeiss LSM900/980 confocal fluorescence microscopy systems, and Licor Odyssey and BioTek Synergy spectroscopic imager/readers. This extensive suite of tools and resources empowers MAEBio researchers to push the boundaries of biotechnology and drive innovation in the field.

Within the Herbert Wertheim Laboratory for Engineering Excellence, the Gary J. Miller PhD Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory includes an 800-square-foot computational space (currently outfitted with more than a dozen computer workstations), desks and conference space to accommodate up to 22 students or research fellows. An adjoining, 400-square-foot room has benches and equipment for fabrication of hardware, sensors and other small technological equipment. Additionally, a new 954-square-foot experimental facility for human movement analysis is currently under construction in the nearby MAE-B building, slated for completion in Spring 2023.  

Associated Centers & Institutes

• Interdisciplinary MicroSystems Group (IMG)
• Emerging Pathogens Institute (EPI)
• McKnight Brain Institute
• Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering Technology
• UF Health Cancer Center

Related Faculty